Biobased solvents for quick-drying cosmetics

I&EC 75

Matthieu Bandres, matthieu.bandres@ensiacet.fr, Sophie Thiebaud-Roux, and Pascale De Caro. Agro-Industrial Chemistry Laboratory, National Polytechnic Institute, UMR 1010 INRA/INP, ENSIACET, 118 route de Narbonne, 31400 Toulouse, France
Investigations to find alternative solvents for air-drying coatings represent an important stake to meet both environmental concerns and technical requirements such as volatility. Several natural-based solvents have been synthesized from fusel oil. This ethanol fermentation co-product is a mixture of short alcohols which contains principally isoamyl alcohol. Due to the fast-growing production of ethanol, the availability of fusel oil has widely increased during the last few years, thus offering a cheap and renewable source of isoamyl alcohol. Acetates, carbonates, ethers and isovalerates have been prepared by green processes, preferring specific catalyst use and external solvent-free reactions, leading to minimum waste. Both environmental and economical assessments have been carried out. Calculations performed from the simulation of a cosmetic production plant supplied with these biosolvents showed a reduction of Volatile Organic Compounds emissions by at least 50%.